Ketal derivatives of 1-(2-aryl-2-oxoethyl)-1H-imidazoles are disclosed, inter alia, in the following references:
U.S. Pat. No. 3,575,999; and PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,079,062. PA1 R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are each independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, halo and methyl; PA1 R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 are each independently selected from the group consisting of C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 -lower alkyl and C.sub.3 -C.sub.4 -lower alkenyl, or R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 form, together with the sulfur atoms to which they are attached and the bridging carbon atom, a 5, 6 or 7-membered ring which is optionally substituted with 1 to 4 C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -lower alkyl groups; PA1 R.sup.5 is a member selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -lower alkyl, 2-propenyl and 2-propynyl; and PA1 n is 0, 1 or 2. PA1 Brit. Pat. No. 2,026,486; PA1 Brit. Pat. No. 2,027,701; and PA1 Brit. Pat. No. 1,533,706.
D.O.S. No. 2,604,487, in the broadest meaning of its scope, theoretically embraces dithioketals of 1-(2-aryl-2-oxoethyl)-1H-imidazoles or possible starting materials for the preparation of metal salt complexes with antifungal activity. Nowhere in said reference is there any description or any other indication of particular dithioketals.
The compounds of the present invention are nowhere disclosed in the prior art and are deemed to be novel.